It is important that our Scituate MA dentist knows about the medications you are taking in order to provide the best dental care for you. According to our dentist in Scituate, many prescribed and over-the-counter medicines – as well as vitamins, minerals and other herbal supplements ¬– can produce unwelcome side effects to your overall oral health.

Our Scituate MA Dentist Describes Medication’s Common Side Effects Impacting Your Mouth

Certain Medications Cause Dry Mouth

Your body’s saliva production acts to continuously remove debris from around your teeth and gums, explains our Scituate MA dentist. When patients experience Dry Mouth, the decreased amount of cleansing saliva in your mouth can promote tooth decay and gum infections.

The most common medications to cause dry mouth include:

• Decongestants
• Antihistamines
• Sedatives
• Pain Medications
• High Blood Pressure Medications

Tips to Help Alleviate Dry Mouth

Your family doctor may be able to switch you to a different medication if you are experiencing severe dry mouth. If making a change to your medication is not possible, our dentist in Scituate suggests that you try some of these methods to alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of dry mouth:

• Drink plenty of water or any type of sugarless drink throughout the day to stay hydrated.
• Eliminate or reduce caffeine intake, as caffeinated beverages such as tea or coffee can contribute to your dry mouth.
• Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless candy to increase saliva production.
• Avoid excess salty or spicy foods, which can irritate an already dry mouth.
• Use a humidifier at night, adding moisture to the air that can help relieve your dry mouth and nasal passages.

Medications Can Be an Unexpected Source of Added Sugar, According to Our Scituate MA Dentist

Many medications – particularly those given to children¬ ¬– contain sugar, cautio¬ns our Scituate MA dentist. According to our dentist in Scituate, sugar is often found in products like antacid tablets, cough syrup, cough drops, as well as many chewable tablets and children’s vitamins. Our dental expert suggests that you carefully check the labels on these types of medications, to determine if sugar is listed as an ingredient.

Steps to Take If Your Medicine Contains Sugar

Whenever possible, you should try to take the medication in tablet form instead of a chewable. In addition, if you need to take the medication at bedtime, be sure to brush afterwards with fluoride toothpaste to remove any sugary residue left on your teeth.

Let Our Scituate MA Dentist Know When You Have Changes to Your Health or Medication Use

Our dentist in Scituate serves as a knowledgeable resource for our patients. Call Luxe Smile Dentistry to discuss any dental issues you may have as a result of taking prescribed or over-the-counter medication.

The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to dentistry, feel free to contact Luxe Smile Dentistry, with a convenient dental office near Scituate MA, by clicking here or by calling 781.319.0070.